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83 mins: The game at Fir Park kicked off a couple of minutes before the one at Tynecastle, and its second halves started another minute earlier. So there are four minutes left there, and seven left here!<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n But now Motherwell<\/a> do equalise! A cross from the right leads to chaos: a shot, another shot, a third shot, and that one does go in, Liam Gordon turning it in from six yards!<\/p>\n The Celtic fans can\u2019t believe it! Photograph: Robert Perry\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.43 EDT<\/p>\n 80 mins: Motherwell<\/a> hit the bar! A deflection takes Elliot Watt\u2019s shot away from Sinisalo, but it drops onto the bar and Maswanhise can\u2019t turn in the rebound!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 76 mins: Brad Spencer brings down Kyziridis and is shown a yellow card. It looks like he got the ball pretty cleanly, and that\u2019s a harsh decision \u2013 particularly as it\u2019s his 12th of the season, and means he\u2019ll miss the first two games of next season.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 75 mins: Falkirk<\/a> bring Henry Cartwright on for Yeats.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 73 mins: Hearts<\/a> haven\u2019t really purred in this half, but then they don\u2019t really need to. If they don\u2019t concede in their next 115 minutes of football, give or take, they\u2019ll be champions.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 71 mins: Braga pushes Donaldson, who flails his arms on his way down and catches Braga in the face. Braga is therefore more hurt than the bloke he fouled, and Falkirk<\/a> have a free-kick.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 68 mins: Chance for Falkirk! They toss the ball into the box, MacIver nods it down, and Broggio runs on to it but shoots over the bar!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 68 mins: Hearts<\/a> take off Devlin, and bring on Jordi Altena.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 67 mins: And from the corner Spittal\u2019s volley is heading towards goal, but we\u2019ll never know if Hogarth would have saved it because Shankland gets in the way and deflects it wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 66 mins: Hearts<\/a> pushing for a third. A free-kick leads, eventually, to a deflected shot, and a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 62 mins: An excellent challenge from Kingsley stops a likely Falkirk<\/a> goal \u2026 well, it would have been likely had the flag not, again, gone up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 61 mins: A bit of a lull at Tynecastle, as the likelihood that this race is going to the weekend settles in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Motherwell 1-2 Celtic (Nygren, 58 mins)<\/p>\n What a hit! The ball is laid back to Nygren, maybe five yards outside the penalty area, and he takes a touch and then leathers a left-footed shot past a leaden-footed Ward and into the roof of the net!<\/p>\n Celtic have turned it around at Fir Park. Photograph: Robert Perry\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.18 EDT<\/p>\n 54 mins: Save! Shankland turns a cross from the right towards goal, and Hogarth does really well to keep it out. The flag then goes up, so it wouldn\u2019t have counted, but it\u2019s still an excellent save.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 52 mins: A booking for Calvin Miller, who trips Kyziridis with apparent deliberation.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 49 mins: Hearts<\/a> hit the bar! Kyziridis with the effort, and it\u2019s not entirely clear if he\u2019s attempting to stand the ball up to the back post, or to cleverly chip Hogarth. Whatever, he very nearly does the latter, but the ball drops onto the bar.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 46 mins: Peeeeeep! Hearts<\/a> get the second half started.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Three halftimely substitutions at Hearts: Falkirk<\/a> bring on MacIver and Parkinson for Wilson and Tait. Stephen Kingsley replaces Harry Milne for Hearts.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Half-time: Rangers 1-1 Hibernian<\/p>\n It\u2019s also half-time at Ibrox, where Rangers have completely dominated Hibernian<\/a> by every statistical metric except the important one.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Half times: Motherwell 1-1 Celtic, Hearts 2-0 Falkirk<\/p>\n Celtic go in at the break with honours even, and a point would be enough to take the title to the final day. In the very unlikely event that there are no more goals tonight, Celtic<\/a> would need to win by three goals on Saturday.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 mins: That\u2019s quietened the Tynecastle crowd. Sky are spending almost as much time showing us the scenes in the stands as on the pitch, as tension eats away at those present.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Rangers 1-1 Hibernian (Aasgard, 41 mins)<\/p>\n And Rangers<\/a> also equalise! Thelo Aasgard with what is being described as \u201ca great free-kick\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Motherwell 1-1 Celtic (Maeda, 41 mins)<\/p>\n They\u2019ve had a shot on target now! It\u2019s Daizen Maeda with it: a thunderous challenge about midway through the Motherwell<\/a> half sends the ball zipping straight to the Celtic forward inside the area, and he accepts the gift and finds the far corner.<\/p>\n Daizen Maeda levels it for Celtic at Motherwell. Photograph: Robert Perry\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.44 EDT<\/p>\n 39 mins: Celtic have not only failed to score, they\u2019ve failed to have a shot on target. Motherwell<\/a>, to be fair, have only had one, but they\u2019ve also had more of the ball, more shots, more corners.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 37 mins: Ever since Hearts<\/a> stopped looking like the 11-man personification of pure panic, they have been really classy. Great interplay in tight spaces, good movement, lovely to watch.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 35 mins: It\u2019s a great little move, even if there\u2019s a bit of luck involved. Claudio Braga is at the heart of it, and when Tait slides in to tackle him he only manages in pushing the ball into the path of Devlin, whose shot deflects past Hogarth!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Hearts 2-0 Falkirk (Devlin, 34 mins)<\/p>\n And they double their lead! Tears on the terraces! Full-on blubbing!<\/p>\n Cameron Devlin scores the second! Photograph: Russell Cheyne\/ReutersIt\u2019s happening! Photograph: Lee Smith\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.41 EDT<\/p>\n 32 mins: Another chance for Hearts! Another corner, this time from the right side, and it drops at the feet of Milne beyond the far post, who takes aim at the far corner but misses it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 32 mins: The table as it stands: Hearts on 80 points, Celtic<\/a> on 76. With a third of the game played, Hearts are exactly where they want to be.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Hearts 1-0 Falkirk (Kent, 30 mins)<\/p>\n A brilliant cross from Kyziridis and Frankie Kent is entirely unmarked as he powers it in from the edge of the six-yard box!<\/p>\n Hearts have lift off! Photograph: Russell Cheyne\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.36 EDT<\/p>\n 29 mins: A lovely pass from Spittal to Milne, and though his cross is cut out this time the ball does go behind for a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 28 mins: Kyziridis takes on Hart, who does well to get in the way of the cross and also to stop the ball going behind for a corner. After that shaky start, Hearts<\/a> appear to have rediscovered how to play football.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 26 mins: Hearts\u2019 best move of the game: Kyziridis exchanges passes with Braga and passes to Shankland, whose shot from just inside the penalty area deflects to Hogarth.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 25 mins: Again Hearts<\/a> look for Findlay with their set piece, but it\u2019s too long for him and, indeed, everybody else.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 24 mins: Claudio Braga nicks the ball just before Hart clears it, which means that Hart\u2019s swinging boot lands on his derriere. This appears to hurt, and he spends a couple of minutes on the floor.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 23 mins: Hearts<\/a> gang up on Yeats and steal the ball from him, leading to a cross, which leads to a corner, which leads to Findlay heading well over the bar.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 20 mins: A terrible start to the game from Hearts, who haven\u2019t settled at all. But vitally Falkirk<\/a> haven\u2019t capitalised, and there\u2019s time for them to settle.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Motherwell 1-0 Celtic (Watt, 17 mins)<\/p>\n Suddenly, with nothing much going on, Tynecastle explodes! News has filtered in from Motherwell<\/a>, where Elliott Watt\u2019s volley from the edge of the area has somehow bounced its way past Sinisalo!<\/p>\n Oh, hello! Elliot Watt scores for Motherwell! Photograph: Robert Perry\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.22 EDT<\/p>\n 15 mins: A booking for Spittal, who throws himself at Allan as the Falkirk<\/a> full-back clears the ball. He has no chance of actually getting the ball, though, and somehow allows himself to slide into the player. Really poor decision-making, and rightly punished by the ref.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 14 mins: Milne goes down very easily after Wilson makes pretty insignificant contact, and wins Hearts<\/a> a free-kick on halfway.<\/p>\n Harry Milne is \u2018challenged\u2019 by Falkirk’s Kyrell Wilson. Photograph: Lee Smith\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.20 EDT<\/p>\n 13 mins: The ball drops to Baningime on the edge of the Falkirk<\/a> box but though the fans urge him to shoot he\u2019s closed down before he can do so, and the move peters out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 12 mins: Talking of Rangers<\/a>, this has come in from the Press Association:<\/p>\n James Tavernier pulls out of his last Rangers game at Ibrox after being benched<\/p>\n Captain James Tavernier withdrew from the Rangers squad after being named on the bench for what was to be his last game at Ibrox, the Press Association understands.<\/p>\n The 34-year-old right-back was expected to say goodbye to the Gers fans in the penultimate Premiership game of the season against Hibernian<\/a> after 11 years at the Govan club.<\/p>\n The official match programme was full of tributes to Tavernier, who was mocked by Celtic<\/a> fans when he was substituted in the 3-1 defeat at Parkhead on Sunday, a third successive post-split loss for the Danny Rohl\u2019s side who are consigned to third place this season.<\/p>\n It is understood Tavernier was unhappy about being told by Rohl that he was not starting the match against Hibs \u2013 although it was likely that he would come on at some point \u2013 and pulled out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Rangers 0-1 Hibernian (Boyle, 5 mins)<\/p>\n Rangers have fallen behind at Ibrox. Sky briefly threatened to show me the goal, but then decided not to bother.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 9 mins: The first big cheer of the night from the home fans, but it\u2019s a sarcastic one: Hogarth takes an age over a goal kick, and then boots it straight into touch.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 7 mins: Now Broggio passes into the area and it looks like it\u2019s going to give Wilson a shooting chance, but Milne gets back and gets in the way. Falkirk<\/a> continue to play like they\u2019re the title-chasing side.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Yes it is!<\/p>\n 5 mins: It looks very close, with Milne in the centre well behind the rest of the Hearts<\/a> back line, but he gets away with it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Falkirk have it in the net, but is it going to be disallowed?<\/p>\n 4 mins: Falkirk release Miller down the left. He\u2019s in all sorts of space and is free to run into the area, from where he slides an inch-perfect low shot inside the far post. But the flag\u2019s up!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 2 mins: And another one! Hearts<\/a> are a bit of a mess at the moment, and Schwolow spills, or doesn\u2019t even attempt to catch, two crosses in about 15 seconds before the ball is booted behind.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 2 mins: Falkirk<\/a> have started on the front foot, and Broggio has won his side a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 1 min: Peeeep! Falkirk<\/a> get the game started. It looks like Celtic kicked off about 90 seconds earlier.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The players are out! And the Tynecastle crowd is in fine voice as they do the Hey Jude la-la-la-la bits.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n John McGlynn, the Falkirk<\/a> manager:<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s going to be tough, that\u2019s for sure. Hearts are going to have everything to play for. They\u2019ve got to do their business. We\u2019re here to put on a show, to show everyone how good a team Falkirk are. We need to get a good start in the game. It\u2019s imperative, from our point of view, that we defend well and get a good start in the game.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It can\u2019t be nice to feel like you\u2019re being hunted. At the start of March Hearts were eight points ahead of Celtic<\/a> (who had a game in hand), at the start of April their lead was down to five, at the start of May to three, tonight it\u2019s one. It must take effort to dispel the sense of inevitability that comes with a gap that insists on shrinking like that. Here\u2019s Derek McInnes, who says that Cammy Devlin and Harry Milne won\u2019t be able to play the full 90 minutes today but that he\u2019d prefer to have them from the start than for them to be on the bench and him having to constantly wonder when to throw them on. Also:<\/p>\n double quotation markJust concentrate on the game. We\u2019ve just got to assume that three points is going to be really important and the focus is just trying to beat Falkirk. They\u2019re a good team. Sometimes you play teams that don\u2019t have a lot to play for but that isn\u2019t the case here. It\u2019s hard to ignore [the hype], we\u2019ve got to try to enjoy and relish it. But there\u2019s work to be done to get three points here and that\u2019s what we\u2019re concentrating on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Jens Berthel Askou, the Motherwell<\/a> manager, has a chat. He refuses to comment on \u201cthings that have nothing to do with what we\u2019re here to do\u201d, such as reports linking him with Toulouse. Meanwhile:<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s great. I just told the players, I think we\u2019re made for these events, to compete in them. We\u2019re going to get one hell of a crowd here and that\u2019s going to lift us even more, so we can\u2019t wait. Fourth position [would be] a massive achievement for the club. We\u2019re here to make our own dreams come true, that\u2019s what we\u2019re working on, and everyone else has to deal with their own.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>The teams!<\/p>\n The team sheets have been handed in, and here are the night\u2019s big names. Hearts are without Craig Halkett and Marc Leonard, both injured, but Cammy Devlin and Harry Milne are back. Celtic<\/a> make one change, Stbastian Tounekti swapping in and Luke McCowan finding himself benched.<\/p>\n Hearts v Falkirk<\/p>\n Hearts: Schwolow, Steinwender, Kent, Findlay, Milne, Spittal, Devlin, Baningime, Kyziridis, Braga, Shankland. Subs: Fulton, Kingsley, McCart, Kabore, Borchgrevink, Forrest, Altena, Kerjota, Chesnokov. Motherwell v Celtic<\/p>\n Motherwell: Ward, Sparrow, O\u2019Donnell, Koutroumbis, Longelo, Fadinger, Watt, Slattery, Just, Said, Maswanhise. Subs: Connelly, Gordon, Nicholson, Priestman, Ross, Booth, Thomson, Hendry, Charles-Cook. Rangers v Hibernian<\/p>\n Rangers: Butland, Sterling, Djiga, Fernandez, Rommens, Barron, Diomande, Aasgaard, Moore, Chermiti, Antman. Subs: Kelly, McGuire, Aarons, Souttar, Meghoma, Chukwuani, Skov Olsen, Gassama, Miovski. Share<\/a><\/p>\n Eilidh Barbour, doing the presenting duties for Sky, declares that were are \u201con the brink of a historic night\u201d as coverage begins. And I guess that\u2019s mostly right. We\u2019re on the brink of a night, for sure, and it\u2019s a night that might be historic.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Hello world! Well, aren\u2019t these extraordinary times? So gripping has the Scottish Premiership title race become, not even the Guardian can ignore it! And tonight it might even be decided: league leaders Hearts host Falkirk while Celtic, just one point behind with two to play and coming into the game on the back of five successive league wins, head to Motherwell<\/a>. Victory for one and defeat to the other (so long as the one doing the winning is Hearts) and it will be over.<\/p>\n As you\u2019re likely to know by now, if it isn\u2019t settled tonight it\u2019ll be decided when the top two face each other on Saturday. Rangers meanwhile host Hibernian<\/a> tonight: Hibs, currently fifth, could still overtake Motherwell in fourth or be overtaken by Falkirk in sixth, but Rangers will come third whatever they do in their last two matches.<\/p>\n Here, for the record, are tonight\u2019s three fixtures, all of them 8pm BST kick-offs:<\/p>\n Hearts v Falkirk
Falkirk: Hogarth, Henderson, Donaldson, Allan, Hart, Spencer, Tait, Miller, Yeats, Broggio, Wilson. Subs: Sneddon, Graham, MacIver, Cartwright, Oliver, Ross, Parkinson, Brown, Bennett.
Referee: Nick Walsh.<\/p>\n
Celtic: Sinisalo, Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney, McGregor, Engels, Nygren, Yang, Tounketi, Maeda. Subs: Doohan, McCowan, Iheanacho, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Saracchi, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Ralston.1
Referee: John Beaton.<\/p>\n
Hibernian: Sallinger, O\u2019Hora, Hanley, Iredale, Passlack, Barlaser, Chaiwa, Obita, Campbell, Boyle, Elding. Subs: Smith, Megwa, Newell, C Cadden, N Cadden, Mulligan, Andrews, Bushiri, Scarlett, Suto.
Referee: Matthew MacDermid.<\/p>\n
Motherwell v Celtic
Rangers<\/a> v Hibernian<\/p>\n